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Springfield can’t get key hit in loss to Minster
By BRAD EMERINE
COLUMBUS
For the second time in three seasons, the Springfield baseball team is the Division IV state runner-up.
The Tigers lost to Minster 6-0 on Saturday at Huntington Park, as they fell behind early and never could not produce clutch hits against Wildcats’ starter Adam Niemeyer and reliever Austin Knapke.
“The start was similar to two years ago, I guess,” said first-year coach Matt Weymer, whose Springfield team finished 19-7. “They gave up two early runs and lost 3-1 [to Hamler Patrick Henry]. I know the seniors didn’t want to start that way again. It was just a day where Brad Ferraro couldn’t find his rhythm and release point and that’s tough for him because he had pitched well. But baseball’s like that.”
Ferraro walked the first three batters of the game and was relieved by Matt Chopp after walking five of the six batters he faced. He made 29 pitches, six for strikes, in two-thirds of an inning.
A sacrifice fly made it 1-0 and the Tigers got an out at the plate when Chase Paxton tried to score on a wild pitche. Ben Heitbrink’s two-run single to center field made it 3-0 before Chopp got out of the inning.
“It was tough to start like that, but we didn’t think we were out of the game at that point,” said senior catcher Ronnie Bovo, who like Ferraro and junior Nick Russell, was a starter in the state championship game in 2009. “We battled all year and we were confident we could come back and win. We just didn’t get clutch hits and some of our harder hit balls were right at them.”
Springfield had some scoring chances on offense. Jake Noble singled and stole second base in the second before Mike Buchenic flied to left to end the inning.
The best scoring opportunity was in the third when Aaron Yoder tripled to right-center field to lead off the inning. Cody Pitzo then popped out to shortstop Devon Poeppelman in short center field and Yoder tagged and tried to score. He beat the throw home, but was called out for leaving third base too soon on the tag-up.
In the fourth, Russell singled to right field and Ferraro walked. But Noble flied out, Chopp struck out and Buchenic’s hard grounder was fielded by diving third baseman Brett Meiring, who threw to second base from his knees for the force out.
Knapke worked the final three innings for the Wildcats (23-8) and allowed only two base runners, both on walks.
Until the Wildcats’ three-run seventh inning, the Tigers allowed just two hits. Chopp struck out three, walked one and allowed two singles in 31/3 innings before giving way to Russell, who pitched brilliantly in the 9-2 win over Delphos St. John’s in the semifinal.
In the seventh, a mental mistake opened the door for Minster. Ryan Hoying doubled and a bunt turned into an infield hit as the Tigers had nobody covering first base. After a stolen base and groundout, an intentional walk loaded the bases. Craig Purpos hit a two-run ground single between shortstop and third base. After a strikeout, Knapke closed the scoring with an RBI single.
The Tigers’ run to the state title game was unexpected. But with the leadership of seven seniors and a tight-knit roster, Springfield won three straight to end the regular season and rolled to six consecutive tournament wins.
“This was a rough day for us, but I think the seniors will look back on this and be proud of what they accomplished,” Weymer said. “I wasn’t truly expecting to come to state this year, just maybe win a league championship and compete well at district. They may not realize it now, but this was a great run for us. Just one of these years, we’d like to get back here and go home with the gold, not the silver.”